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Fiefdom of Misayl
Overview The Fiefdom of Misayl is the most northwestern fiefdom within the Teris Empire. It comprises of two counties and three dioceshoprics. Due to its close proximity to the Everpeak Mountains, Misayl is well known for its magic casters. In addition, the Everpeak Mountains bring turbulent weather, with winter temperatures fluctuating wildly from the winds which are magically warmed as they pass through the Everpeak Mountains. The 615 census reported a total of thirty thousand adult males, with a large majority of Manfolk. History The lands that consist of Misayl were some of the last to be settled by Manfolk, presumably due to the heavy thaumatic saturation stemming from the Everpeak Mountains. The original denizens of the lands were also much more numerous and hostile to the Manfolk, including xenophobic kobolds, fierce orcs, and most importantly, territorial drakes and dragons. In fact, the idiom "Bloody Dozen" stem from a tale told by Vaselian homesteaders: a group of ambitious settlers decided to attempt to drive out the local drake population from the Misayl Marshes. Instead of driving them however, this instead incurred the drakes' wrath, and they were stirred up into a frenzy, viciously attacking and destroying nearby human settlements. For a dozen years no settler that entered Misayl were said have to survived. Despite this, as the more fertile lands to the south were claimed and settled, more and more settlers reluctantly ventured in Misayl, bringing military might and the sheer numbers of the Trek into the then unformed Fiefdom. Records and archeological findings are vague but it does seem like firm Manfolk settlements had been in place by 150, and the Fiefdom of Misayl was indeed listed as a regional power in the 214 manifesto issued by the Duke of Terre. The governing structure within Misayl, due to the hostile populace and tough climate, assumed a decentralised structure that has since been observed again in the Fiefdom of Aeristhane. Villages maintained their own defenses, raising a large militia and supplementing these numbers with mercenaries paid by the village purse. Promises by the upcoming Krillus family, reigning from Adderfield, held little weight and instilled an increasing sense of isolation and necessity for self-sufficiency. In fact, folklore tell of outreach attempts to the local orcs, however the success and impact that these efforts had on the success of Misaylian settlements are uncertain, primarily due to the difficulty in obtaining the necessary historical documentation. The original Misaylian royal family, Of Krillus, began with the coronation of the first Duke in Addersfield, Duke Jocchaim Krillus. Originally a mercenary band leader, he established his fortunes in protecting travelling homesteaders, and eventually settled down with his mercenaries in what would become Addersfield, in 157. The successive decade marked a bloody campaign against all local wildlife and Twyst inhabitants, where the phrase "Bloody Dozen" was used, this time as a goal for the inhabitants to be completely rid of the Twyst in a dozen years, preferably by the sword. While this goal was not accomplished, and indeed remains unaccomplished to this day, this frenetic drive of extermination did much to turn the tide against the original denizens, and by 170 Jocchaim crowned himself Duke of the Fiefdom of Misayl, able to offer protection to any that swore fealty to him. The crown was then passed onto Joonsbaar Krillus upon Jocchaim's death in 195. Joonsbaar's then reigned until 261, passing away at age 98, the longevity provided by the magical nature of the land clearly demonstrated. Instead of passing the crown onto his son Jonas, he instead passed it to Jonas' son Jossoon. This would mark the beginning of the nepotic ultimogeniture, where the crown would be handed to the youngest grandson, instead of the oldest son, as is common in almost all of the other Fiefdoms. The father of the heir incumbent would serve as the Sword of the Crown, responsible for ensuring the security of the heir and also of the Fiefdom itself. Jossoon would go on to rule the Fiefdom until 343, when Jossoon finally passed away at the age of 99, from a combat training accident. Jossoon's grandson Jerrad assumed the throne, with his father Jacques assuming the Sword of the Crown. Jerrad's rule began with intense reforms to the beleaguered and overwhelmed standing army, hoping that such reforms would allow the army to properly counter the threats that still lurked within the Fiefdom: wildlife, namely drakes and dragons, and the Dwarves to the North. While the initial reforms held promise, the ultimate problem lay within the fact that few villagers volunteered for the standing army, and mercenaries proved to be much too expensive, with many charging exorbitant prices just for operating in Misayl. In 375, Jerrad finally recognised the burgeoning caster presence within Misayl, and called for a council with the Circle of the Red Poppy. This collaboration spawned the Magus Knights, and would eventually lead to the murder of Jacques by the Circle of Red Poppy and the eviction of Jerrad Krillus from the Fiefdom, exiled by the coup led by Vanus Murkskin. Despite the successful coup, the uprising was swiftly then crushed by an intervening Imperial Army, with Emperor Lerovech eager to consolidate his still shaky political standing with a show of force. Murkskin and his supporters were captured and summarily executed, and Jerrad was restored on the throne, albeit now under the firm control of the Emperor. Having lost his prestige, his father, and executive control over the Fiefdom, a jaded and cynical Jerrad continued the purge that Lerovech had started, rounding up any suspected dissidents and executing them in a public display, promising them all a "Bloody Dozen." The Fiefdom-wide purge left large holes in the society, and with the relative new creation of the Faith of the One, it was only a matter of time before Jerrad called for the assistance of the Confessors. Hundreds of Confessors immigrated to the Fiefdom, along with hundreds more native Misaylian casters that were convinced to "convert." Over the course of the decades, the Church's influence grew and grew, and by 611 the number of dioceses had outnumbered the number of secular baronies. Under pressure of the clergy, the current Duke of Misayl, Junkers Krillus and the Sword of the Crown Jaria Krillus have ceded executive control of Addersfield to the local clergy, namely Archdiosere Unschul. Military The military of the Fiefdom of Misayl consists of a much larger militia component than the other professional armies within the Empire. Militiamen are drawn from each village, and are equipped by the Fiefdom itself. They are expected to hold out against any danger that may threaten a village until the standing army can arrive to relieve them. Despite regulations, it is common to see every villager abandon their chores and jobs to protect their village should it be threatened: possession of weapons within Misayl is not illegal, and in fact many villages have by-laws which make each home required to have enough weapons to protect its residents. As such, in theory every man and woman within Misayl is a militiamen, and in actuality almost all of them are at least decently trained in combat, if not ready to defend their village outright. The standing military force, drawing upon such a qualified population, can boast some of the finest quality foot soldiers within the Empire. Indeed, Misaylian mercenaries are highly valued and a small group of them, the Misaylian Guard, ensure the protection of the Lord Spiritual. If this was not enough, the Magus Knights, supplement the foot soldiers in their duties. Enormous bulwarks of armour and magical prowess, these silent protectors were the first to welcome Jerrad back to the realm, proving instrumental in his purges of the dissidents. Despite the recent influences of the clergy, their name remains and serves a reminder of the state of magic within Misayl: subservient but still fierce, in the service of Manfolk.